I've been up San G 4x or 5x through the years (including this past Aug) using Vivian Creek TH. I'm thinking about attempting it this winter with crampons and ice axe on Vivian Creek TH. I've done ice & snow hiking before (e.g., Rainer 2x, summitted both times). My question is how difficult is it to find the trail? Any other advice? Thanks in advance.

I did it a number of years ago, and had no trouble following the trail. Like the other mountains in that area, San Gorgonio can get some amazing rime ice, requiring actual crampons instead of microspikes.

Thanks. I remember 12 or 15 years ago, an avid hiker died on the mtn because he slipped and fell without wearing crampons... but he had them in his backpack.

Good to know about the trail. I heard Big Bear got 2' snow over the weekend. That probably buried most every trail. San G looks *very* white right now. Not sure how easy the trail will be to find. Or how often people go up it in winter.

Thanks again.

If you haven't done Vivian Creek in the winter before, I recommend a good GPS with a track in it. Makes it much easier.

in winter you don't need a trail, take a more direct route. for example check out the dobs ridge winter route. you start up vivian but at the first camp area just past the winderness boundry cross the creek and you can go right up dobs ridge to dobs peak, then up to jepson and to san g summit. snowshoes, skis, crampson for whatever the conditions are.